1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for the axial stabilization of a cutting means used to carry out at least one cutting operation at an end of a bone in order to fit a prosthesis in bone surgery.
The invention can be applied in a particularly advantageous way, but not exclusively, to the fitting of knee replacements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, the fitting of a prosthesis in bone surgery requires the use of a tool outfit, called a set of ancillary equipment, that makes it possible to prepare the fitting of the prosthesis itself. In the case of a femoral prosthesis of the knee, having a certain number of planar, internal contact surfaces, corresponding cuts have to be made at the distal end of the femur so as to ensure the perfect positioning of the prosthesis on the bone thus prepared. To this end, a cutting means, such as a multiple-cutting block or guide, is used, and this means must be kept in a stable position at the distal end of the femur. One technique that is used, described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,909, consists in fixing said multiple-cutting block or guide against the end of the femur by means of two screws that are directly implanted in the bone symmetrically with respect to the intramedullar canal. However, this known method has many drawbacks. First of all, it calls for a prior identification of the orientation of the block or guide in order to define a fixed geometrical reference for the subsequent cuts. Furthermore, the screwing and unscrewing of the fastening screws cause unnecessary bone damage.
Hence, the technical problem to be resolved by the object of the present invention is to propose a device for the axial stabilization of a cutting means used to make at least one cut at one end of a bone with a view to the fitting of a prosthesis in bone surgery, said device making it possible to obtain perfect stability of the cutting means in the axial direction while, at the same time, providing for the positioning and removal of said cutting means without damage to the bone tissues and without any prior identification of orientation.